Pastoral Care

Pastoral Care aims to respond to the diverse spiritual and emotional concerns experienced through hospitalisation for patients and those who care for them.

The Pastoral and Spiritual Care Services Team support people as they journey through times of illness and associated uncertainty. We assist people to draw on their own ‘spiritual’ resources, those things that provide meaning, purpose and a sense of belonging. For some people, the ‘spiritual’ is expressed through formal religious belief, practice and community. For others, it is realised through informal beliefs and practice, often connected to meaning drawn from culture, relationships and life experiences. Our service is provided by trained Spiritual Care practitioners and Faith Community Chaplains.

Our services include

Confidential emotional and spiritual support during illness, surgery, and hospitalisation

Emotional and spiritual support for families and carers

Religious and sacramental care including prayer, communion, anointing

Coordinating visits by representatives from most religious traditions

Support for staff and volunteers of Melbourne Health

​Centre for Clinical Pastoral Education

A centre for the training and supervision of people who are seeking to be, or are already engaged in, pastoral and spiritual care. Part-time and full-time programs of education are offered according to the Standards of the Association for Supervised and Clinical Pastoral Education in Victoria (ASACPEV).

Two part-time programs of 18 weeks duration are offered on a semester basis annually. A full-time program is offered from mid-November to the end of January each year. Individual supervision is also offered by appointment.